Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.

“Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.” Thus wrote H. Jackson Brown, Jr., a modern sage whose words flow with the eternal wisdom of the human heart. His teaching is simple, yet profound, for it touches the very root of what sustains the spirit through hardship. Hope is not a luxury of the fortunate; it is the last refuge of the soul when all else has been stripped away. To take it from another is not merely to wound them—it is to extinguish the one flame that guards them from the darkness of despair.

In the ages of old, the wise taught that man can live many days without bread, but not a single day without hope. It is the hidden thread that binds the heart to life itself. When kingdoms fall, when the harvest fails, when every plan is broken, it is hope that whispers, “Rise once more.” Brown understood this truth—that hope, fragile though it seems, is stronger than fear, stronger than pain, stronger even than death. For it is the inner light that guides one through the night, unseen but unyielding. To rob someone of that light is to deny them the very chance to endure.

Consider the story of Anne Frank, a young girl who, in the shadow of one of history’s darkest hours, wrote by candlelight of her unshaken belief that “people are really good at heart.” Her world had collapsed into hiding, hunger, and terror, yet her words carried the radiance of hope. It was that hope—not possessions, not freedom, not safety—that sustained her spirit. Even in her captivity, she refused to let it die. And though her body perished, her hope did not. It continues to shine through generations, reminding all who read her diary that hope, once kindled, can outlive the flesh that bore it.

H. Jackson Brown, Jr., known for his Life’s Little Instruction Book, wrote not as a philosopher of theory, but as a man of deep humanity. His lessons were not meant for scholars alone but for every soul walking the common road of life. This quote, though brief, carries the weight of compassion—the kind that comes from observing the quiet struggles of ordinary people. He knew that a kind word, a small encouragement, a single gesture of belief in another can rekindle hope in a heart close to breaking. And he knew, too, that cruelty, cynicism, or indifference could destroy it just as easily.

In every age, there have been those who give hope and those who steal it. The tyrant rules by crushing hope, for a people without it will not resist. The healer, the teacher, the saint—they all give it freely, for they know that to lift even one soul from despair is to change the world. When Nelson Mandela walked free after twenty-seven years in prison, he said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” That courage came from hope—hope in justice, in reconciliation, in the worth of his suffering. His example teaches that even in chains, a person with hope remains unconquered.

Yet, Brown’s words also warn us to be guardians of the hopes of others. Sometimes, without malice, we dismiss the dreams of another, mock their faith, or remind them of the impossibility of their desires. But what we see as foolishness may be the only thing keeping their heart alive. To crush such hope is a quiet cruelty, more terrible than anger. For while anger may fade, hopelessness lingers like an endless winter. The wise, therefore, speak gently to the hopeful; they nurture rather than scorn, knowing that within each fragile dream lies the seed of endurance.

Let this truth be engraved in your heart: never be the thief of another’s hope. When you meet one who trembles in despair, give them not judgment, but comfort. Speak words that heal, not words that wound. Offer belief, even if you do not share it. For one spark of hope may ignite a fire strong enough to guide them through the storm. And when you give hope to another, you strengthen your own—for hope shared is never diminished; it multiplies like light reflected in countless mirrors.

So remember, children of tomorrow: hope is sacred. It is the quiet prayer of the suffering, the melody of the weary, the last treasure of the poor in spirit. Guard it well in your own heart, and guard it in others. For as H. Jackson Brown, Jr. teaches, though hope may seem small and frail, it is, in truth, the mightiest force that keeps the human soul from breaking. And when you choose to preserve it in another, you take part in the divine work of keeping the world alive.